Unforeseen Consequences
by KataHime
Summary: What about a fic of Jen looking after Abby after an incident in her lab? 3x09 "Frame Up" ending AU Request from starie78


**Unforeseen Consequences**

**A/N: Hope you enjoy!**

In hindsight, the assistant was a good idea. It was only in the background check that things failed miserably. To rush downstairs behind Jethro and his team and find Charles Sterling standing over a bleeding Abby sent her into protective overdrive. In fact, she didn't register the A-team taking down the man, her entire focus on the Goth currently leaning up against the filing cabinet. She tried to not focus on the blood that Abby smeared on the floor.

She hadn't realized she had moved over to the younger woman; she felt her knees hit the hard floor, her skirt pulling at an awkward angle; she paid the minor discomfort no more than a thought. It was only when Abby looked up at her with something akin to betrayal in her eyes that she realized how close she had gotten. She didn't blame her for the look, taking in the numerous cuts along her arms, the deeper one along the palm of her hand and the one that ran down her cheek.

As Ducky joined her, Abby's uninjured hand found hers, and she squeezed back reassuringly. There was no way around it: she was completely in love with the woman.

"This is going to need stitches," Ducky said, and that made her even more ashamed.

As he applied the numbing spray and started to stitch her hand, Abby kept her eyes on her. It was like they were in their own world, just the two of them.

They've long since stopped verbally communicating at work unless it was strictly necessary. Everything that needed to be said could be done in a look. Maybe Abby was Jethro's favorite, but it wasn't his bed that the Goth slept in at night; not that anyone could know. She hated treating Abby like a dirty secret when she wanted to flaunt her to the world. Still, a few important conversations needed to be said aloud.

"Take tomorrow off," She urged her softly, keeping her eyes on the road. She had seen the way Jethro had glared at her when Abby had declined his offer to drive her home. She almost felt bad. Almost. "You're exhausted."

"Will you stay too?"

She opened her mouth to tell her _no _automatically, before she realized that tomorrow was Saturday. She didn't even need to be in the office unless there was an emergency, and all her paperwork could be done later in the day. And if there was an emergency, everyone had her number.

She smiled, resting a hand on Abby's leg, "Yeah, baby. I'll stay too."

The rest of the drive to Georgetown is quiet, and she's almost grateful. She knew Abby was still in shock, Ducky had told her to expect that, and she didn't like the quiet. Still, it wasn't much of a surprise when Abby crawled immediately into bed. She was out before her head hit the pillow.

She took her time getting Abby changed into nightclothes, checking for other injuries that may have been missed; she doubted it, as Ducky was thorough in his examination, but she wanted to check herself, just in case; finding none, she settled into her own nighttime routine. When she joined her in bed not long after, she stayed awake for hours, knowing just how close she'd come to losing her, before finally succumbing to sleep.

* * *

She was awakened not long after she'd fallen asleep by Abby thrashing in bed, a nightmare keeping her trapped in her dreams.

"Abby, Abby, baby," she pulled her closer, holding her thrashing body tight against her, her heart breaking at the terrified whimpers being torn from her lover's throat, "you're safe, baby. I've got you." She wasn't sure how long she repeated the mantra before Abby calmed down. She didn't wake, settled back into a normal sleep cycle. Still, she kept her arms tight around Abby, fearing that if she let go, the nightmares might start again.

She slowly stroked Abby's hair, letting the haze of sleep wash over her again. She knew more nightmares were due to come, knew how well Abby would try to brush them aside. But she knew that no matter what, Abby wouldn't be going through anything alone. She'd make sure of that.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review!**


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